Final answer:
Aaron Montgomery Ward developed the first significant mail-order business in 1872, offering a wide variety of products that could be shipped by train to consumers across the country.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1872, the first significant mail-order business was developed by Aaron Montgomery Ward. This innovative catalog offered 10,000 items that could be shipped by train, vastly expanding the variety of products available to consumers, especially those living in rural areas. The introduction of mail-order houses represented a turning point in retail, as it allowed people from all across the country, regardless of their proximity to urban centers, to have access to a wide range of goods. This business model was later adopted and expanded upon by Sears, Roebuck & Company, which began in 1886 and became a staple in the American household, often referred to as "the consumer's bible."
The advent of this mail-order system coincided with the explosive growth of the railroad network, which by the close of the 19th century had laid over 200,000 miles of track across the United States. The ease and affordability of shipping via train facilitated the success of mail-order businesses like that of Ward's and later Sears, connecting consumers to manufacturers and creating a national market system.